CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

This booklet consist of five chapters comprising chapter one which covers the background of the study statement of the
problem, purpose of the study, limitations, delimitation as well as the organization of the study that helping on introvert
pupil to participate in classroom discussions.

It also talks about the other four chapters where we come across literature review (what other authors have said already on
the topic), methodology (how the problem was dealt with through the instruments used, data collection etc.), data
presentation and analysis and lastly summary, conclusion and recommendations made after going through systematic
ways to solve the problem.

All the chapters shall talk about 'helping an introvert pupil to participate in classroom discussions at Bekwai R/C JHS

The topic is looked at in diverse ways such as causes, effects, strategies to solve and the benefits after working on the
project.

Background to the study

The Ghanaian system of education is aiming at building competency and proficiency among its students. The system has
therefore seen its need to introduce educational reform at the basic level so as to ensure the ability to write, read, talk or
speak eloquently. These keen elements when taken care of, will help boast the academic performance of the pupil thereby
building a better if not the best individuals, societies as well as the nation at large.

Undoubtedly, education is a tool to development but poor educational system turns to do vice-versa. Education in Ghana
cannot as much as rub show with its counterparts in the world as it is yet not able to meet its industrialization due to
certain things that hampers and undermines the growth and development for people's competency to yield better interest at
their work places.

The educational reform also aims at establishment and promoting report or cordial interpersonal relationship in its field.
This is to make and allow students or pupils to express themselves openly and possess some leadership qualities or roles
to help move the nation forward. However, despite its effort, our people of today do practice the opposite way instead of
helping move our static economy.

There are many obstacles that confront the success of the pupils which may include truancy, sexual harassment (boy- girl
friend relationships) and many more as identified earlier and not forgetting the extrovert and introverts. As an altruistic
and diplomatic citizen, I am particularly very much concerned about the introvert child that is the shy looking quiet pupil
who finds it difficult to make friends. Actually their attitude affects the teaching and learning process.
An introvert child according to the Cambridge Dictionary is a person who is shy, quiet, unable to express or talk to people
and also unable to make friends. Similarly, the Oxford Advanced Learners who is more interested in their own thoughts
and feelings than in spending time with other people. In other words, and introvert is the direct opposite of an extrovert
child. These pupils find it very difficult to participate in the classroom discussion hence making teaching and learning
cumbersome.

Most often, they do not talk in class neither give answers to questions nor ask for clarification when they have doubts
during and after discussion in the classroom.

Statement of the problem.

The writer during his out campus teaching practice, among the problems identified, decided to research into the study
"Helping an introvert) pupils at Bekwai R/C JHS one (1) to participate in classroom discussions".

The researcher found that pupils at Bekwai R/C JHS ‘B’ do not talk to people, their peers and found it difficult to make
friends. When rating he total population of Bekwai using percentages, 82% will fall under the illiteracy group and even
the remaining 159% do not know the benefits of being sociable. They are mainly farmers which does not give them the
chance of communicating with one another. It was also observed that most of the people are low income earners since
they do not do any extra supportive work apart from the agriculture and that had nothing to write home about.

Base on this, most parents have inculcated some habits into their wards never to play or talk with others else they pose
problems which may need huge sums of money to solve. Security and other basic necessities are also factors children
especially school pupil’s needs from parents to help develop physically and mentally. Those whose parents have given up
the ghost become lonely and in secured thereby creating a problem of introversion. It is common for those in the
classroom who lacked such necessities like clothing (school uniform, a pair of shoes) and pocket money; they disassociate
themselves from their peers who have all these to their disposal. They develop inferiority complex within them. This digs
a hole of discouragement and even crate tension in pupils when they try to the part and among his or her peers.

It is clear that the above stated problems engage most pupils into introversion which goes a long way to have great
negative impact on effective teaching and learning process as well as scaring pupils to communicate with their peers both
at the classroom and outside.

Purpose of the study

The writer aim at finding problems inhibiting the development of education as far as introversion at Bekwai R/C JHS ‘B’
is concerned. It is also to eradicate the challenges facing these pupils to enable them function effectively and efficiently in
classroom, home, society as well as the nation at large.
 Furthermore, it is to help the introvert pupils changed into a better world no matter the cause through a systematic
approach. This is to ensure improvement upon the academic performance and help dig out all hidden talents of introverts
in the school.

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

What is the concept, "introversion "?

What are characteristics of an introvert?

What could be the possible cause and effects of introversion among the pupils?

How best can good strategies/ management isolations be used to overcome introversion Poano R/C primary (4) pupils.

Significance of the study

This study is to help bring out the talents and improve upon the academic performance of the introvert pupils. It is to make
the shy and quiet looking pupils who do not benefit much in the teaching and learning process due to one reason or the
other overcome their weaknesses and also to participate in classroom activities. The study is again to crate confidence and
eradicate inferiority complex in them as well as developing good interpersonal relationship with other. It can never be left
out that this study will help policy makers to acknowledge these pupils so as to create policies that best suit the needs of
introverts in the Ghanaian educational system since we cannot do without such pupils in our communities both at basic
and higher levels.

The study will also help curriculum Research Development Division (CRDD to focus on the use of guidance and
counseling service to improve the performance of Shy children to also participate massively in class.

Limitations

The researcher aimed at carrying out the project thoroughly but due to the following limitation made her found the piece
tough

a. Parents were reluctant to give out information on what goes on at home among their children (the inter-relationship
existing at home)

b. Pupils also found it uneasy to answer certain questions on the questionnaire

c. Much money and energy were used in the process of the action research work.
d The researcher could not cover other classes in the school and schools within the district

Delimitations

The researcher should have covered the entire district (Amansie East District) since the problems seeks not to be limited
to only pupils at Bekwai R/C JHS ‘B’ but due to limited period of time where the researcher had to write, type, print and
submit the project, the researcher only concentrated on Bekwai R/C JHS ‘B’. Also the problem of transportation could not
permit the researcher to cover other schools within the district.

There are other problems associated with teaching and learning process but the researcher did not cover all those ones but
narrowed to topic and hopes that when "introversion" as a problem is solved there will be an increase in the performance
of pupil's academic work.

Organization of the study

This booklet contains five (5) chapters which comprises introduction, literature reviews, methodology, data presentation
and analysis and finally summary, conclusion and recommendation. Chapter one entails introduction background to the
study, statement of the problem, purpose of the study, research questions, significance of the study, limitation,
delimitations and organization of the study. In chapter two, there is literature review where scholar, researcher have talked
about the topic at hand.

Chapter three covers the methodology for the research design, sample size and the instruments used for collecting data
for the research work and interventions. Chapter four is about data presentation and analysis of the data collected. Chapter
five also highlights on the summary, conclusion and recommendations.
 CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

Chapter two talks about the other findings or what other researchers, writes, authors’ et al have said or written about the
topic under study. It would also look at the concept of introversion, characteristics causes and find strategies to remedy the
situation. The literature review will therefore cover the concept of introversion. The books that the researcher was able to
lay hand were five.

Over the years, psychologists have proposed many ways of categorizing personalities with types. According to Swiss
psychiatrist by name Carl Jung. In Abnormal Psychology, he described an introvert as a shy, self-centered person and an
extrovert as bold and outgoing persons.

In Cambridge Dictionary, it says someone who is shy, quiet and unable to talk to people and also unable to make friends
easily. According Polkay and Alten (1986) in Introduction to Psychology says that another way of understanding
personality is to focus on a person's self- concept. The rough outline of your own self-concept will reveal your
personality.

In other words, a self-concept is a person's perception of his her own personality traits. Ti consists of all your ideas and
feelings about who you are. According to psychologists, there are some personality's theories which are so complex that
we might easily become lost without a guiding frame work. The theories are grouped under four broad perspectives. They
include trait theories, psychodynamic theories, humanistic theories and behaviorist theories. The trait theories attempt to
learn what trait makes up personality and how they relate to actual problem. The Psychodynamic theory on the other hand,
focuses on the inner working of the personality especially internal conflict and struggle.

The behaviorist theory place greater importance on the external environment and on the effect of conditioning gland
living the humanistic theory stresses on private subjective experience and personal growth. According to English
Psychologist by name Hans Eyserck (1981 Psychology introduction, said he believes that many personality traits are
related to whether you are mainly introverted or extroverted.

According to Compbell and Hawley (1982) in Abnormal Psychology, it is written that extraverted student or pupils can be
found in the second floor studying in the 1 and 3 floor in the Campus Library at Colgate University whether you intend
being emotionally stable or unstable (highly emotional).

These characteristic in turn are related to four basic types of temperaments first recognized by the early Greeks. These
types are melancholic (sand, gloomy) choleric (hot tempered, imitable), phlegmatic (Sluggish) and sanguine (Cheerful,
hopeful) adapted from Eyserck 1981).
According to Cattlell (1971), in Abnormal Psychology, he said that the introvert child or introvert people are reserved,
concrete thinking affected by feelings, submissive, serious expedient, shy, strutting. practical, forth right, self-assured
conservative, group dependent, undisciplined and related while the extroverted people are outgoing, abstract linking,
emotionally stable, dominants, hoppy-go-lucky conscientious, bold, sensitive, suspicious imaginative, shrewd,
apprehensive, experimenting, self-controlled and tension.

According to (Digman 1990, Goldberg 1993) in the introduction to Psychology, they proposed that the most universal
dimension of personality is extroversion agreeableness, conscientiousness, neuroticism and openness to experience. In
extroversion, it refers to how introverted or extroverted person is. Aggressiveness refers to how friendly nurturing and
caring a person is opposed to cold indifferent, self-centered of spiteful. A person who is conscientious is self-disciplined,
responsible, not careless and dependable. The neuroticism refers to the presence of negative up setting emotion. People
who are high in neuroticism tend to be anxious, emotionally stable and unstable" Finally, people who rate openness to
experience are intelligent, open to ideas and interested in cultural practice According to America Psychological
Association (APA, 1987) in Abnormal Psychology, they said they are unwilling to risk entering unfamiliar situation and
often imagine that there are formidable obstacle in their path.

According to Buss (1980) in Introduction to Psychology says most introvert (Shy and resented) fail to make eye contact,
retreat when prompted to speak quietly and display little interest on animation in conversation.

What is cause of Introversion?

According to Girodo (1978) in Introduction to Psychology, Social anxiety is a factor in shyness. To him, almost every
one finds some social situations such as meeting an attractive stranger. Typically, this is a reaction to evaluation fears
(fears of embarrassment, ridicule rejection or seeming inadequate). He says evaluation fears frequently or intense for shy
persons. He also said that the third thinking especially shy person almost always blame themselves when social encounter
does not go well. Situational causes of shyness. Shyness is most often triggered by novel or is most often triggered by
novel or unfamiliar social situation. A person who does not find themselves with family or is not close with friends may
become shy awkward when meeting a stranger.

According to Buss (1980) and Polkay (1975) in introduction to Psychology, to them, shyness is also magnified by
formality by meting some people of higher stage, by being noticeably different from others or being the focus of attention
in giving a speech. Now one may ask what the causes of this introversion are. Heredity is one of the contributing factors
leading to the causes of introversion. Pupils who arc introvert" are normally inherited form parents.

Financial problems also run people or pupils into introversion. Most parents specially those whose income are generally
low or nothing to write home about inculcate some belief in their children to keep quiet that is not talking to anyone let
alone immixing friends that may generate problems for the family.

Similarly, some children use to pupils who are stammers and this also increase the state of being quiet shy and difficult in
making friends easily.
Emotional and physical problems also turn the minds of people to different situations. In a classroom situation, no matter
what adequate teaching and learning material you will use, the child does not sec what is going on. The teacher therefore
needs to make or adapt different strategies in the class. They normally stand up without opening their mouth. When these
pupils are compelled to answer question or receive some admonitions from their counter parts or colleagues, they end up
crying. They normally keep quiet in class and find it very difficult to make friends and even talk to his / her own siblings.

Some of these pupils are rapacious and not willing to share view or opinions with others. In introduction to psychology,
john Dewey referred to teaching and learning as buying and selling in the sense that there is bargaining in teaching and
learning process. He went on deeply to say that the teachers sometimes should be facilitator and not always breast feed or
spoon-feed pupils. However, the teacher should generate ideas from pupils. In a nutshell, John Dewey means that teaching
and learning process is a 'give and take' sort of thing and that both teacher and pupil learn from each other.

b. What could be the possible effects of introversion on academic work?

It can be said that a certain shy person appears insecure in some situations. Another one becomes temporarily insecure in
some situations too. Yet another feels a discomfort so mild that it cannot be labeled as insecurity. Another individual is
extremely confident and efficient in many areas and it is disturbed only in certain interpersonal contracts. Another person
has the impression that sometime the world is crashing down upon him/her. The shy person cannot do things despite
having potentials.

According to J.S Farrant (1980) in his book Principle and practice of Education. It is written that extremes of this type
occur to the highly introverted being liable to melancholy and deep depression and being the type most likely to commit
suicide.

According to Young People Ask (1989) a book published by Watch Tower Bible and Tract, Society, it is written that
shyness restricts and inhibits us from realizing our full potential and harmful effects on our relationship, work, learning
and feelings. By withdrawing not speaking up or being so pre-occupied with self that you do at pay attention to others,
you may leave the impression that you are struck-up, unfriendly, bored or even uncaring or ignorant.

Similarly, when your thoughts are on yourself, it is hard to concentrate on discussions at hand so you pay less or no
attention to the information you are receiving, then what you fear most happens to you In essence, you have locked
yourself behind the walls of the prison of shyness and have thrown away the key to it. You let opportunities pass you by.
You accept items or situations you really do not want all because you are afraid to speak up and express your opinion.

You lose out on the joy of meeting people and making new friends or doing things that would enhance your life.

C. How can good strategies/ management or solutions are used to overcome introversion as a problem at Bekwai R/C JHS
‘B’
According to Entwistle Noel (1983) in his book styles of learning and teaching using the transcends this experience of our
sense as clues transcends this experience by embracing the vision of a reality beyond the impression of our senses, a
vision which speaks for itself in guiding us to an ever deeper understanding of reality.

The shyness can be modifies that is it can be overcome. Overcoming shyness as a process, even if the sufferers benefits
from medication to control anxiety attacks. A psychological process can be modified provided that certain variables in the
person's life are introduced. Psychotherapists are trained to do it. In my own experience of nearly three decades as a
psychotherapist, the successful process is on which that brings consistent changes to the self-concept.

According to Young People Ask (1989) published by Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, it is written that, with time
and effort, behavior can be changed. First of all, stop worrying about whether the other person is evaluating you or not.
Also, try to think positively and know that no one is perfect; all of us have our strengths and weaknesses. Remember that
there are different ways of looking at things, different likes and dislikes. A difference of opinion does not mean a rejection
of you as a person. Wanting to change and believing that change is possible, replacing negative thoughts with positive
actions. Setting realistic and meaningful goals for yourself and knowing how to release and cope with anxiety.

Rehearing a situation beforehand. Gaining confidence by progressively successful experiences. Remembering that
differences of opinion exist and others too therefore learn to be sociable to say hello and start a conversation. If you
blander in speech do not feel condemned, if others laugh, learn to laugh with them saying that did not come out right"
with help you to relax and continue with the conversation. Dress comfortably but make sure that your clothes are clean
and pressed stand straight yet be at ease. Look pleasant and smile. Maintain friendly eye contact and nod or verbally
acknowledge what the other person says.

According to Michael (1978) in Introduction to Psychology, Psychologists observed that shyness is often maintained by
unrealistic or self-defecating belief. He says people who are more active sociably, make effort to meet and spend time
with others. They join clubs; invite others to do things that strike up conversation unlike the introvert people who are not
socially active.

Opening lines arc also strategies for making introvert (shy and reserved) sociable and open. If you would like to start a
conversation to me somewhere, what is the least way to begin? In a report by psychologist Christ Kleinke (1986) in
Introduction to Psychology, he said thousand (1000) men and women related typically by opening line 'an analysis of
these statement categories direct, innocent milder harmless) and cut flippant. Flippant statement was least like especially
by women, the kind of opening line so often used by male and female characteristics in life situation. The example that
follows illustrates each category (adapted from Kleinke 1986).

Direct: I feel a little embarrassed about this but I'd like to meet you since we are both sitting alone, would you care to
join me? That way is pretty (Sweater, Jackets Scout)

Innocuous: Hi, would you watch my box for a minute? Its beautiful today isn't it? Can you give me direction to cut or
flippant? Do you think 1 deserve a break today? I played on the field and I think just hit a stone unknown. Your place or
mine? l'm easy, Are you? He said by a large margin both men and women preferred opening lines that were direct or
innocuous, cute or flippant statement were least liked especially by women.

One of the simplest way is to make better conversation is by learning to ask questions. According to Girodo (1978),
nothing fancy is needed, you can do better with questions such as where do you work, stay or live. Do you like dancing,
music, or travel? How long have you been at school, work etc.? After you have broken the ice, the best questions are often
those that are open ended. E.g. What kind of food do you like?

In conclusion, the chapter highlighted on the findings of some great psychologists who laid their hands on concerning the
topic. They came out with the characteristics associated with introvert people, the causes of introversion for which some
are as a result of inferiority complex on the part of the individuals. Their efforts made in their writings also brought out
suggested ways to overcome the canker especially among school going pupils in order to promote effective classroom
discussions.